State-federal relations: Federal dollars down, federal power up

Most facets of coercive federalism—including federal aid shifted from places to persons, conditions
and earmarks attached to federal aid, pre-emptions, limits on state taxation, federalization of
criminal law, defunct intergovernmental political institutions, reduced federal-state cooperation in
major programs, and federal-court litigation—remain vibrant. Only unfunded mandates and court
orders requiring major state institutional change are less prevalent. State policy activism remains
vigorous, but the Supreme Court is not enamored with state authority.